Monday, July 27, 2009

Song Lyrics That Are Funnier When You Think About Them

Sometimes song lyrics are funny when you think about what they're actually saying. In some cases, this is intentional. In others, not so much. Here are my top five "stealth joke" lines from songs.

1. "Roland aimed his Thompson gun, he didn't say word."--"Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner," Warren Zevon.Funny Because: Roland really can't say a word because of the whole "not having a head" thing. It's really kind of a barrier to communication.

2. "We parachute in. We parachute out. 'DEATH FROM ABOVE' we're screaming now."--"Jungle Work," Warren ZevonFunny Because: Paratroopers have been a vital part of our nation's defenses for nearly a century, and this noble profession has included such luminaries as Jimi Hendrix and Ed Wood. But really, how the hell do you parachute out?

3. "'Did you know that I live in your street?' I said and he looked at me like I was crazy."--"O'Malley's Bar," Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsFunny Because: Context is really key here. This exchange takes place about halfway through the narrator/singer's murder spree.

4. "He's not conventionally handsome, he'll never be tall."--"Eyball Kid," Tom WaitsFunny Because: As the name implies, it's about a kid who's just an eyeball.

5. "I know I didn't see you hidin' your weddin' ring either did I?" --"We Didn't See A Thing," George Jones and Ray CharlesFunny Because: The above line is sung by Ray Charles, who hadn't seen anything for decades when this song was recorded.

Honorable Mention: "'No Albi you didn't kill me with your dragon flames.I crawled to safety, but you did leave me very badly disfigured,' laughed the boy." --"Albi the Racist Dragon," Flight of the Conchords